Terms to Learn
- Left Fighting Stance (Walking Stance)
- Right Fighting Stance (Walking Stance)
- Stability v.s. Mobility
- Center of Gravity
- L stance
- Move forwards from one end of a room to another in Walking Stance
- Move backwards from one end of a room to another in Walking Stance
Welcome White Belts
If you haven't already you will need to Warm Up and Stretch .
Physical power in Hapkido is derived from the ground. Footwork and balance, are the difference between a successful technique and disaster. This is Left Fighting Stance also called Walking stance It is a left fighting stance because the left foot is forward.
Physical power in Hapkido is derived from the ground. Footwork and balance, are the difference between a successful technique and disaster. This is Left Fighting Stance also called Walking stance It is a left fighting stance because the left foot is forward.
Why do they call it Walking Stance?
They sometimes call fighting stance a walking stance because when you move forward or backwards your feet move in the pattern that the Knight walks on the Chess board.
The feet at the bottom left are in Right Fighting Stance because the right foot is forward. As we move forward towards the top of our picture the arcs represent the motion of the feet. To transition from the bottom set in Right Fighting Stance to the next set up in Left Fighting Stance you simply slide the left foot along the blue arc.
It is important to note that you are in fact sliding your feet, not raising and lowering them. The motion is designed to sweep objects on the ground out of your way while you move.
The feet at the bottom left are in Right Fighting Stance because the right foot is forward. As we move forward towards the top of our picture the arcs represent the motion of the feet. To transition from the bottom set in Right Fighting Stance to the next set up in Left Fighting Stance you simply slide the left foot along the blue arc.
It is important to note that you are in fact sliding your feet, not raising and lowering them. The motion is designed to sweep objects on the ground out of your way while you move.
Lets Try it!
At this time I want you to walk from one of the room to the other in walking stance! If you want to test yourself scatter several harmless objects like tennis balls on the floor in your path. A good stationary walking stance has your front knee bent and your back leg nearly strait. Your hips and torso should be facing forward even though your back foot is at an angle.
The Physics Behind Fighting Stances
Fighting stances are what make all martial arts moves possible. Every kick, punch, and throw will have a stance. No stance is invulnerable and each stance has it's strengths weaknesses. The point of all fighting skill is to put yourself in a strong position while putting the opponent in a weak position.
All fighting stances seek balance between Stability and Mobility. The image below shows a sturdy 'L' Stance on the left and a nimble western boxing stance on the right. Your recently learned Walking Stance is in the middle.
All fighting stances seek balance between Stability and Mobility. The image below shows a sturdy 'L' Stance on the left and a nimble western boxing stance on the right. Your recently learned Walking Stance is in the middle.
Which is best? None of them are best, in the same way that none of them are worst. View them as tools. Let us say that in your toolbox you have a 1/2 inch wrench and a 3/4 inch wrench. Neither is best and both are useful for slightly different jobs.
So why is the 'L' Stance more stable than the other two? For two factors, first the feet are spread wide apart, this lends stability in the same way that a pyramid is more stable than a stop sign. Which structure would better survive a tornado do you think? So factor one is width of stance.
The second factor is Center of Gravity. Your center of gravity is between your belt line and your navel. When you squat low in an 'L' Stance your center of gravity is also lower. Have you ever played with a punching inflatable clown toy? No matter how hard you hit the clown it just pops back up again. This is because all the weight is in the base of the toy. It has an extremely low center of gravity.
Some situations demand stability; such as throwing an attacker. Some situations demand mobility; such as dodging a barrage of fists and feet. Ultimate mobility is simply running away!
So why is the 'L' Stance more stable than the other two? For two factors, first the feet are spread wide apart, this lends stability in the same way that a pyramid is more stable than a stop sign. Which structure would better survive a tornado do you think? So factor one is width of stance.
The second factor is Center of Gravity. Your center of gravity is between your belt line and your navel. When you squat low in an 'L' Stance your center of gravity is also lower. Have you ever played with a punching inflatable clown toy? No matter how hard you hit the clown it just pops back up again. This is because all the weight is in the base of the toy. It has an extremely low center of gravity.
Some situations demand stability; such as throwing an attacker. Some situations demand mobility; such as dodging a barrage of fists and feet. Ultimate mobility is simply running away!
The ovals represent the center of gravity. Red is more mobile and Blue is more stable.
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Master's Commentary on Balance Disruption |
'L' Stance
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This is 'L' Stance. It is called that because if you were to draw a line through the feet it would make an 'L' shape. Unlike Walking stance 'L' stance has both knees bent and the weight distribution is 60% on the back foot and 40% on the front foot.
'L' Stance has a wide variety of uses. It is especially useful for executing throws and for kicking from the front leg. |
- Practical Exercise: Travel the length of a room in walking stance forwards and then travel it backwards.
- Focus on ending up in a good stance after each step.